ORR budget subcommittee takes early look at budget

Wednesday

Oct 16, 2013 at 12:01 AM

MATTAPOISETT — Already facing a $350,000 increase to fund the teachers' and other staff contracts, members of the Old Rochester Regional School District Budget Subcommittee are taking a hard look at other budget requests.

MICHAEL SMITH

MATTAPOISETT — Already facing a $350,000 increase to fund the teachers' and other staff contracts, members of the Old Rochester Regional School District Budget Subcommittee are taking a hard look at other budget requests.

ORR School District Superintendent Doug White said Thursday's session marked the start of "preliminary conversations" on the school budget for 2014-2015.

"All numbers are in the infancy stages," said White. "It's a place that gets us started in conversation."

During the meeting, ORR junior and senior high administrators shared some of their needs for Grades 7-12. Items discussed included projected enrollment, class size, salary increases, and programs.

Michael Devoll, ORR High School principal, told the subcommittee that high school's laptops are more than 8 years old and failing. Devoll suggested seeking a three-year lease for 60 to 70 new laptops. No cost estimate was discussed.

Nick Decas, a member of the subcommittee, asked administrators to get price quotes on the items they want. But he also voiced concerns about adding on to the budget.

"Something has to come out," Decas said. "We're not just going to add to all this." With increases in salaries, "there's no room for anything else."

Budget considerations include the contractual salaries for teachers, paraprofessionals and other staffers, who will see anywhere from a 3 percent to 3.5 percent pay increase for 2014-2015. White said that translates to about a $350,000 increase for the school year.

Kevin Brogioli, principal of ORR Junior High, said each of his seventh- and eighth-grade teachers carries an average teaching load of 123 students.

Brogioli noted that the National Council of Teachers of English recommends that 85 students be assigned to each teacher. "Personally, I would like it to be under 100," he said.

He said that ideally, he would also like to see the school social worker position reinstated to full-time because there's been an increase in students with anxiety issues.

White suggested taking another look at reapportioning resources and revising scheduling to make the most of existing staff.

"As we continue to look at other numbers we will be addressing in the budget, the ability to add additional staff will be a struggle," he said.

ORR School Business Administrator Catherine Antonellis said formal preparation will begin in November.